Tobacco-stemming machine



June 19, 1951 A. lSLEY TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m 1 M L M k. h w mm m 7 Q M 6 J V 5 k\ A. L. ISLEY TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE June 19, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1948 3 rwem tov flrf/ver 1.5/6]

Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOBACCO-STEMMING MACHINE Arther L. Isley, Richmond, Va.

Application June 1, 1948, Serial No. 30,344

8 Claims.

This invention relates to tobacco stemmin machines and, more particularly, to a feeding mechanism for such machines.

In known types of tobacco stemmers such as that disclosed in the patent to Caudle, 1,852,148, dated April 5, 1932, the unstemmed leaves are placed upon a conveyor in a position generally transverse to its direction of motion, and with the stems projecting at one side thereof. The conveyor belt passes around a large rotatable main or feeding drum and as the leaves are carried about the drum by the conveyor belt, they are gripped near their stem ends, between a narrow cardcloth facing on the drum and an auxiliary cardcloth belt guided in contact with this facing over a substantial portion of the periphery of the drum. At the same time, the stem is secured in a similar manner, to the periphery of a second or stemming drum. The two drums are positioned for rotation in planes making an acute dihedral angle with one another and with their peripheries closely adjacent at the point where the stem and leaf portions are gripped to the respective drums. The drums are rotated synchronously and on separation of the peripheral portions of the drums to which the stem and leaf are respectively secured, the stem is pulled out of the leaf leaving only the useable portion of the leaf gripped to the feeding drum.

These machines, while generally satisfactory in operation could not heretofore be operated at maximum capacity or speed because of the difficulty in feeding the leaves thereto at a sufiicient- 1y fast rate. In the prior art machines, the feed belt was driven at the same linear speed as the surface speed of the feeding and stripping drums; and when the drums were rotated at the maximum speed of which they were capable, the corresponding speed of the feed belt was too great for proper manual placement and separation of the leaves thereon.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a tobacco stemming machine in which the feed belt is driven at a slower rate than the drums so that, when the machine is driven at maximum capacity, the feed belt is moved relatively slowly so that the hands or bunches of tobacco leaves may be easily placed upon the feed belt and spread out sufficiently so that they are separated and spaced apart as they are gripped by the more rapidly moving belts leading to the drums.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tobacco stemming machine in which leaves are transferred from the feed belt to the more rapid- 2 1y moving drums, in a smooth, positive and efficient manner so that the leaves are at all times under positive control.

A still further object is to provide a feeding mechanism .for a tobacco stemming machine which will make it unnecessary for the leaves to be materially separated upon the feed belt as heretofore.

Another object is to provide a feeding mechanism for a tobacco stemming machine which is capable of wide modification to suit various types or arrangements of drums.

Still another object is to improve known tobacco stemming machines of the types mentioned, and the feeding mechanism therefor so that the machines may be operated at maximum capacity.

Other objects and advantages will become -ap-, parent from a study of the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein;

Figure 1 is an end elevation partly incross section of a tobacco stemming machine incorporating the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1 and showing the manner in which the leaves to be stemmed are spread out or separated as they pass to the stripping or feeding drum.

Figure .3 is a perspective view of that portion of the machine by which the leaves are transferred from the feeding belt to the stripping drum and Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken upon a plane indicated by the line t4, Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 1 identifies the frame of a tobacco stemming machine incorporating the invention. This machine may operate upon the same general principle as the one disclosed in the aforesaid patent to Caudle so that it will be suificient to identify the stripping or feeding drum 2 carried by a shaft 3 which in turn is journaled in frame I. The drum 2 may be rotated by a pulley l fixed thereto and driven by a belt 5 from any suitable source of power. The entire machine including all belts, may be driven from the aforesaid source of power as applied by belt 5.

A portion of the stemming drum is indicated at 6, Figure 3, which as previously explained, is journaled in frame I with its axis in substantially the same horizontal plane with the axis of shaft 3. The planes of the two drums are arranged at an acute angle so that their peripheries are closely adjacent at the point where the leaves begin to move about the periphery of drum 2. The general arrangement and relation of the drums may be substantially as shown in the aforesaid pat-v ent to Caudle. Shaft 3 may have a reduced extension 3', Figure 2, connected to drive the stem" ming drum through a universal joint, not shown.

The various pulleys or rollers guiding the several belts, subsequently described, are journaled between vertical, horizontally spaced side portions which are preferably formed separate from frame I but which are formed to be rigidly united with said frame. One of these side portions is identified at T, the other being omitted for clarity of illustration. A wide main belt 8 passes about the upper half of drum 2. This belt has a width a little less than the axial dimension of drum 2 so as to leave space at one end of the drum for the accommodation of a relatively narrow card cloth belt 9, subsequently described. Since the belts 8 and 9 are co-extensive, they appear as one and the same upon Figure 1. Their side-by-side relation is shown upon Figure 3.

The drum 2 rotates clockwise as viewed in Figure 1 and from the drum, belt 8 passes rearwardly to and about a pulley I0, thence upwardly to and about a pulley II. From pulley II, belt 8 passes forwardly to and beneath a pulley I2 and thence upwardly over and about drum 2. Pulleys I0, II and I2 are all journaled between the forward frame portions, one of which is identified at 1. After passing about drum 2 through substantially 180, the belt moves outwardly beneath pulley I3 and over and about a delivery pulley I4. From pulley I4, the belt proceeds in a substantially straight pass rearwardly to pulley II). This pass as shown in Figure 1, may make short contact with the lower portion of drum 2.

The feed or table belt I5 extends in straight passes between and about a relatively small forward pulley I8, and a larger pulley or roller H. The upper pass is substantially horizontal and moves over and just above a platform or table I8 fixed in horizontal position to frame portions such as I. The pulley II is fixed to a shaft I9 which, as seen in Figure 2, has a belt pulley 20 fixed upon its rear end. Likewise, feed belt pulley I1 is fixed to a shaft 2| which has a second belt pulley 22 fixed thereto. The two pulleys are connected by a belt 23. From Figures 1 and 2 it will be noted that driven pulley 22 has a much larger diameter than driving pulley 20. Since pulley 20 is on the same shaft I9 with pulley II which is driven by drum belt 8, it follows that feed belt I5 moves at a much lower linear speed than main or drum belt 8. It will be noted further that small feed belt pulley I6 is mounted closely adjacent pulley II. The two are so related as to be substantially tangent to the same superposed horizontal plane. While the ratio of effective diameters of pulleys 20 and 22 may be varied over a wide range, it is contemplated that the ratio selected may be such that belt 8 has a linear speed of times or more, greater than the linear speed of feed belt I5 which will have a speed of from 30 to 60 feet per minute. By this construction, as the leaves pass off belt l5 they are immediately transferred to belt 8 and speeded up, in a manner subsequently described.

A relatively narrow auxiliary belt 24 has an upper pass parallel with the corresponding pass of feed belt I5. As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, belt 24 is driven from a pulley 25 which has the same diameter as pulley I1 and is fixed to the same shaft 2|, so that belts I5 and 24 are driven at the same linear speed. At its other end, belt 24 passes about an idler pulley 26, Figures 3 and 4, which, as shown, is journaled upon shaft I9 to rotate relatively to the shaft, since pulley II 170* tates at a much higher speed than pulley 26. A small idler roller 21 is journaled upon a stub shaft 28 fixed in frame portion I. From Figure 1, it will be noted that roller 21 is so mounted as to have its lower periphery tangent to the horizontal upper pass of belt 24 at a point a little to the left of shaft I9. Roller 21 is preferably made of rubber.

The frame portion 1 may be formed to provide a vertical gaging or abutment surface just back of belt 24. This surface is so located that the tobacco leaves will be in substantially correct position transversely of belts I5 and 24, when the ends of the stems are adjacent or in contact with the surface. Thus belt 24 serves to support the stem ends of the leaves as they move along with belt I5. Furthermore, the stems are gripped between belt 24 and roller 21 just as they pass off belt I5 and are picked up by belt 8. Thus belt 24 and roller 21 cooperate to eifect positive transfer of the leaves from the relatively slow belt I5 to the fast-moving belt 8.

The cardcloth belt 9 has been mentioned and, as previously explained, extends in parallelism with main belt 8. For this purpose, all of the pulleys about which belt 8 passes, are long enough to accommodate the belt 9 at the ends thereof, as shown at Figures 2 and 3. From Figure 2 it will be noted that belts 8 and I5 are of the same width and have their respective edges coplanar. Cardcloth belt 9 lies just to the left of belt 8, facing in the direction of travel of the upper pass of belt I5 and cooperates with a second cardcloth belt 29. This belt is of the same width as belt 9 and cooperates therewith to grip and hold the leaf portions on the drum as the stems are stripped therefrom by the stemming drum.

For this purpose, belt 29 passes around pulley I2, thence upwardly over and about drum 2 for approximately to a pulley 3D journaled on a shaft 3| carried by frame I. The belt then passes upwardly and rearwardly to an idler pulley 32 journaled on frame I, thence downwardly to and about another idler 33 journaled on shaft 34. Idler 33 is closely adjacent pulley 26 so that the gripping surfaces of belts 9 and 29 meet very closely adjacent roller 21 and continue in gripping contact in the straight pass to pulley I2 and thence upwardly over and about drum 2 to pulley 30 where the two separate. In this way the portions of the leaves adjacent the stems are gripped between belts 9 and 29 as they pass from belt 24 and idler 21; and this grip continues until the stems have been fully stripped from the leaves.

In order to hold the leaves firmly to belt 8 during the pass from pulleys II to I2, I provide an auxiliary plain narrow belt 35 which extends about an idler 36 on the same shaft 34 with idler 33 thence around pulley 12 between the pulley and main belt 8 and back to idler 36. Thus belt 35 is in holding contact with belt 8 in the straight pass between pulleys II and I2, and acts to hold the leaves firmly in placement on belt 8 until they begin to move upwardly to drum 2. Because of this construction, the pulleys can be so arranged that the pass of belts 8 and 9 on the one side, and 29 and 35 on the other side, between pulleys II and I2, may have any position between substantially vertical and substantially horizontal. I prefer to use anangle of 30 to 60 to the vertical.

Numeral 31, Figure 1, identifies a gripping belt for gripping the stems to the stemming drum;

Numeral 3B identifies generally, mechanism carried by frame I for maintaining the belt 31 taut. Since the general arrangement of main and stemming drums and their operation may be the same as in the aforesaid patent to Caudle, I have not shown these parts in detail.

In operation, a number of operators, say three, stand by the side of feed belt 45 and take the bunches or hands of tobacco leaves from an adjacent rack or receptacle and spread them upon belt 15 so that the leaves are generally transverse of the belt with their stems adjacent or in contact with abutment surface on frame I. As each leaf passes on belt i5 its stem is gripped between roller 27 and belt 24. Ihe leaf is thereby positively transferred to fast moving belts 8 and 35. At the same time the base of the leaf, that is, the portion where the leaf merges into the stem, is gripped between cardcloth belts 9 and 29. These belts, which are moving many times faster than feed belt [5, carry the leaf to a point on the periphery of the main drum 2 which, in the machine illustrated is located in a substantially horizontal plane through the axis of main drum. At this point, the projecting stems are gripped between the stemming drum and auxiliary belt 31'. Then, as the angularly-related drums rotate in synchronism, the stem is pulled out of the leaf, leaving usable leaf portions only upon the main drum. These portions are then carried between cardcloth belts 9 and 29 to pulley 3% where they are gripped between an auxiliary belt 31 and main belt 8. From Figure 1 it will be seen that belt 31 passes over and about pulleys 30 and 13 only and thus has a pass in contact with belt 8. As belts 8 and 31 separate, the stemmed leaf is free to drop into chute or conveyor 38.

For these reasons, the present disclosure should be taken in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense; and it is my desire and intention to reserve all such changes, modifications and substitutions as fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having now fully disclosed my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tobacco stemming machine having angularly related stemming and stripping drums, a first pulley spaced from and parallel with said stripping drum, a main belt passing about said stripping drum and first pulley, second and third horizontally spaced parallel pulleys, a feed belt passing about said second and third pulleys,

said first and second pulleys being closely adjacentand parallel, means including an idler coaxial with, and adjacent one end of, said first pulley, and an auxiliary belt passing about said idler and having an upper pass parallel with and in side-by-side relation with, the corresponding pass of said feed belt, to thereby trans fer tobacco leaves from said feed belt to said main belt, and cooperating belt means gripping said leaves and carrying them over the periphery of said stripping drum after transfer from said feed and auxiliary belts.

2. In a tobacco stemming machine, a main drum, a first pulley, an idler closely adjacent said first pulley and coaxial therewith, a second pulley closely adjacent said first pulley, a third pulley spaced from said second pulley on the side thereof remote from said first pulley, a main belt passing over said drum and first pulley, a feed belt passing about said second and third pulleys. a stem supporting belt passing about said third pulley and said idler, and a speed-reducing drive between said first and third pulleys whereby said feed and stem-supporting belts are driven at one linear speed and said main belt is driven at a greater speed.

3. In a tobacco stemming machine, first and second parallel pulleys mounted upon closely spaced parallel axes, an idler coaxial with said first pulley and adjacent one end thereof, a third pulley, a main belt passing about said first pulley, a feed belt passing about said second and third pulleys to convey tobacco leaves to said main belt and a stem supporting belt passing about said third pulley and said idler, said stem supporting belt and said feed belt having parallel, side-by-side upper passes.

4. In a tobacco stemming machine, a main drum journaled on a first axis, first, second and third pulleys, journaled at one side of said drum on axes parallel to said first axis, said second and third pulleys having their peripheries closely adjacent, a main belt passing about said second and first pulleys and thence about said drum, a first cardcloth belt in parallel relation with said main belt and closely adjacent one edge thereof, a second cardcloth belt passing in cooperative contact with said first cardcloth belt and about said third and first pulleys and said drum, and feed belt means driven in timed relation. with said main belt to deliver leaves to said main and cardcloth belts as they meet in passing over said second and third pulleys, respec tively.

5. A machine as recited in claim 4, an idler coaxial with and adjacent said third pulley and an auxiliary belt passing about said first pulley and said idler, one pass of said auxiliary belt being in leaf-gripping relation with the adjacent pass of said main belt between said first and second pulleys.

6. In a tobacco stemming machine, a main drum journaled for rotation upon an axis, pulley and belt means operable to grip and convey leaves first in a straight pass, then over and about the periphery of said drum, a feed belt having a straight upper normally horizontal pass, each of said passes having a pulley at one terminus, said pulleys being closely adjacent, power-driven means operable to drive said feed belt at a first speed and said pulley and belt means at a second speed greater than said first speed, and transfer means positively transferring leaves from the said one terminus of said feed belt to the corresponding terminus of said pulley and belt means, said transfer means including a transfer idler coaxial with the terminal pulley of said pulley and belt means, and means driving said transfer idler in timed relation with said feed belt.

7. In a tobacco stemming machine having angularly related stemming and stripping drums, a first pulley spaced from and parallel with said stripping drum, a main belt passing about said stripping drum and first pulley, horizontally spaced parallel pulleys, a feed belt passing about the latter pulleys, said first and one of the latter pulleys being closely adjacent and parallel, means including an idler coaxial with and adjacent one end of said first pulley, and an auxiliary belt passing about said idler and having an upper run parallel with and in side by side relation with the corresponding run of said feed belt, to thereby transfer tobacco leaves from said feed belt to said main belt, cooperating belt means gripping said leaves and moving them over the periphery of said stripping drum after the trans- 7 fer from said feed and auxiliary belts, and pulley means driving said main belt and said feed belt at a predetermined speed ratio, said main belt having a speed greater than said feed belt.

8. In a tobacco stemming machine, parallel pulleys mounted upon closely adjacent parallel axes, an idler coaxial with one of said pulleys and adjacent one end thereof, a roller, a main belt passing about said one pulley, a feed belt passing about the remaining pulley and the roller to convey tobacco leaves to said main belt, a stern supporting belt passing about said roller and said idler, said stem supporting belt and said feed belt having parallel, side by side upper passes, and means interconnecting said one pulley with said roller for driving said feed and stem supporting belts at a linear speed less than that of said main belt.

ARTHER L. ISLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

